The opening of the Torah reading called Masei is about the 42 trips that the Jewish people traveled coming out of Egypt and reaching the Land of Cnaan. Torah is not just a history book, rather also a teachings book. What is the teaching behind all these trips?
This week, we have two Torah readings. One of them is called Massei. Massei means “trips” or “journeys,” and it describes the 42 places where the Jewish people traveled through the desert, from Egypt to the land of Canaan, to transform it into the land of Israel.
The term Torah itself is derived from the word hora’ah, meaning “teaching.” This indicates that the Torah contains not just historical accounts but teachings that apply to us in every place and at every time throughout history.
So, what is the teaching behind the Jewish people traveling through 42 places from Egypt to the land of Canaan? One idea is that the Torah refers to these as “trips” because each of these 42 stops represents a journey of overcoming limitations and oppression. In a spiritual sense, Egypt (or Mitzrayim in Hebrew) is related to the concept of constraints and limits.
The 42 journeys through the desert represent the process of moving beyond these constraints, transitioning from oppression to freedom. This pattern of leaving one level of limitation and reaching a new one is not just a historical fact but a metaphor for our personal and collective experiences.
In our own lives, each stage or challenge can be viewed as a “trip” out of our personal Egypt—our own limitations and constraints. The Torah’s description of these journeys in the plural form underscores that every step forward in life involves leaving behind one set of limitations for a new set.
Just as each journey from Egypt was not a single trip but a series of movements towards transformation, our lives are also a continuous series of steps and challenges. The message is that Judaism is not about reaching a final destination but about continual movement and growth.
As long as we are actively progressing, we are fulfilling our purpose. Stagnation or stopping in our spiritual journey is akin to falling off a bicycle—if we stop, we fail to progress. The Torah’s use of the term Massei teaches us that we must keep moving forward, overcoming each set of challenges and limitations, and continually striving to advance in our spiritual and personal lives.
Parshat Talk from Rabbi Tuvia Serber
The above is the best possible representation of the spoken text converted to written text.
© Copyright, all rights reserved. If you enjoyed this article, we encourage you to distribute it further.
Our blogs may contain text/quotes/references/links that include copyright material of Mechon-Mamre.org, Aish.com, Sefaria.org, Chabad.org, and/or AskNoah.org, which we use in accordance with their policies.
